Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Whit'ten-tree, n. p. 1512A sort of tree. Ainsworth.Whit'tle, n. p. 1512A knife; a pocket, sheath, or clasp-knife. “A butcher's whittle.” Dryden. A Sheffield whittle in his hose. Betterton. 2. [A-S. hwitel, a cloak.] A grayish, coarse double blanket worn by west…Whit'tle, v. t. p. 1512To pare or cut off the surface of with a small knife; to cut or shape, as a piece of wood held in the hand, with a clasp or pocket-knife. 2. To edge; to sharpen; to render eager or excited…Whit'tle, v. i. p. 1512To cut or shape a piece of wood with a small knife. Dexterity with the pocket-knife is a part of a Nantucket education; but I am inclined to think the propensity is national. Americans must and will…Whĭt'tle-shawl, n. p. 1512A kind of fine kerseymere fringed at the edge.Whit'tret, n. p. 1512A weasel. [Scot.] Jamieson.Whit'worth Ball p. 1512A peculiar projectile for rifled fire-arms, invented by Mr. Whitworth, of Manchester, England. ☞ In Mr. Whitworth's system, the bore of the gun has an hexagonal section, and the twist is much more…Whit'y-brown, a. p. 1512Of a color between white and brown. Pegge.Whĭz, v. i. p. 1512To make a humming or hissing sound, like an arrow or ball flying through the air. It flew, and, whizzing, cut the liquid way. Dryden.Whĭz, n. p. 1512A hissing and humming sound. “Like the whiz of my cross-bow.” Coleridge.Whizz'ing-ly, adv. p. 1512With a whizzing sound.Who (hōō), pron. p. 1512A relative or interrogative pronoun, used always substantively, and either as singular or plural; what or which person or persons. The nominative and objective refer only to persons. The possessive…Whōa, interj. p. 1512See Ho.Who'bub, n. p. 1512An uproar; hubbub. [Obs.]Who-ev'er, pron. p. 1512Whatever person; any person who; he or she who; any one who; as, he shall be punished, whoever he may be. “At this whoever envies or repines.” Milton.Whōle, a. p. 1512Containing the total amount, number, and the like; all; total; entire; without deficiency or diminution; as, the whole earth; the whole solar system; the whole army; the whole nation. “The whole race…Whōle, n. p. 1512The entire thing; the entire assemblage of parts; totality; all of a thing, without defect or exception. 2. A regular combination of parts; a system. Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole.…Whōle'-hoofed, a. p. 1512Having an undivided hoof.Whōle'-lēngth, a. p. 1512Representing the whole figure;—said of a picture or statue.Whŏle'-lēngth, n. p. 1512A portrait or statue representing the whole figure.Whōle'ness, n. p. 1512State of being whole, entire, or sound; entireness; totality; completeness.Whōle'sāle, n. p. 1512Sale of goods by the piece or large quantity, as distinguished from retail. By wholesale, in the mass; without distinction or discrimination. Some, from vanity or envy, despise a valuable book, and…Whōle'sāle, a. p. 1512Buying and selling by the piece or quantity; as, a wholesale merchant. 2. Of, or pertaining to, the trade by the piece or quantity; as, the wholesale price.Whōle'sōme, a. p. 1512Tending to promote health; favoring health; salubrious; salutary. “Wholesome thirst and appetite.” Milton. 2. Contributing to the health of the mind; favorable to morals, religion, or prosperity…Whōle'sōme-ly, adv. p. 1512In a wholesome or salutary manner; salubriously.Whole'sōme-ness, n. p. 1512The state or quality of being wholesome, or contributing to health; salubrity. It is a custom there that every host who entertains a guest shall assure him of the wholesomeness of his food by…Whōl'ly, adv. p. 1512In a whole or complete manner; entirely; completely; perfectly. Nor wholly overcome, nor wholly yield. Dryden. 2. To the exclusion of other things; totally. They employed themselves wholly in…Whom, pron. p. 1512The objective of who. See WHO.Whom'so-ēv'er, pron. p. 1512The objective of whosoever. See WHOSOEVER.Whōō'bub, n. p. 1512Hubbub. [Obs.] See HUBBUB. Shak.Whōōp, n. p. 1512A shout of pursuit, or of war; a cry of eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment; a halloo; a hoot, as of an owl. A fox, crossing the road, drew off a considerable portion of the detachment, who clapped…Whōōp, n. p. 1512(Ornith.) A certain bird; the hoopoe, or upupa.Whōōp, v. i. p. 1512To utter a loud cry of eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment; to cry out; to shout; to hoot, as an owl. “Each whooping with a merry shout.” Wordsworth. Satyrs, that in glades and gloomy dingles dwell…Whōōp, v. t. p. 1512To insult with shouts; to chase with derision. And suffered me, by the voice of slaves, to be Whooped out of Rome. Shak.Whoop'ing-cough, n. p. 1512(Med.) A violent, convulsive cough, returning at longer or shorter intervals, and consisting of several expirations, followed by a sonorous inspiration or whoop; chin-cough; hooping-cough. Dunglison.Whōōp'ing-crāne, n. p. 1512One of the family of Gruidæ, with long necks and bills. This variety is so named from its peculiar note.Whōōt, v. i. p. 1512To hoot. [Obs.] See HOOT.Whōp, v. t. p. 1512To beat severely. See WHAP. Forby. 2. To turn over suddenly. See WHAP.Whŏp, n. p. 1512A sudden fall, or the suddenness of striking in a fall.Whōp'per, n. p. 1512One who whoops. 2. Any thing uncommonly large; — applied especially to a monstrous lie. [Colloq.]Whōre, n. p. 1512A woman who practices unlawful sexual commerce with men, especially one who does it for hire; a harlot. Syn. — Harlot; courtesan; prostitute; strumpet; punk; wench; concubine.Whōre, v. i. p. 1512To have unlawful sexual commerce; to practice lewdness.Whōre, v. t. p. 1512To corrupt by lewd intercourse. [Rare.] Congreve.Whōre'dōm, n. p. 1512The practice of unlawful commerce with the other sex; fornication; lewdness. 2. (Script.) The desertion of the worship of the true God for the worship of idols; idolatry. O Ephraim, thou committest…Whōre'mās-ter, n. p. 1513A man who practices lewdness; a lecher. 2. One who keeps or procures whores for others; a pimp; a procurer.Whōre'mas-ter-ly, a. p. 1513Having the character of a whoremaster.Whōre'mŏn·ger, n. p. 1513A whore-master; a lecher; a pimp.Whōre'sōn, n. p. 1513A bastard; — a word used generally in contempt, or ludicrously.Whōr'ish, a. p. 1513Resembling a whore in character or conduct; addicted to unlawful sexual pleasures; incontinent; lewd; unchaste.Whōr'ish-ly, adv. p. 1513In a whorish or lewd manner.Whōr'ish-ness, n. p. 1513The quality of being whorish; the practice of lewdness; the character of a lewd woman.Whorl, n. p. 1513(Bot.) An arrangement of a number of leaves, flowers, or other organs, around a stem, in the same plane with each other. 2. (Conch.) A volution or turn of the spire of a univalve.Whorled, a. p. 1513Furnished with whorls; arranged in the form of a whorl or whorls.Whorl’er, n. p. 1513A potter’s wheel. Simmonds.Whort, n. p. 1513The fruit of the whortleberry; also, the shrub itself.Whort'le, n. p. 1513A whortleberry. “A sweet berry in shape like the whortle.” St. John.Whort'le-bĕr'ry, n. p. 1513(Bot.) A plant or shrub of the genus Vaccinium (Gaylussacia of Gray), and its small, round edible berry, which is highly valued for food; the huckleberry. See HUCKLEBERRY. The name huckleberry is now…Whose, pron. p. 1513The possessive or genitive case of who or which. See WHO and WHICH.Whose-so-èv'er, pron. p. 1513The possessive of whosoever. See WHOSOEVER.Whō'sō, pron. p. 1513Whosoever. [Obs. or poet.] Whoso shrinks or falters now, . . . Brand the craven on his brow. Whittier.